The Rapid City-based First Peoples Fund has announced the winners of the Jennifer Easton 2009 Community Spirit Award.

The annual fellowship award recognizes four exceptional Native American artists with gifts of $5,000 each. Artists are nominated by members of their tribes, and recipients are selected by an independent panel of Native cultural leaders.

This year's recipients are Mary Louise Defender Wilson, a Dakota/Hidatsa storyteller; Theresa Secord, a Penobscot artist who works in traditional ash and sweetgrass basketry; Bud Lane III, Siletz, who makes traditional Siletz baskets; and Theresa Kenkiokoktha Fox, a Mohawk singer, composer and educator.

First Peoples Fund was founded in 1995 with the mission of honoring and supporting Native artists. The organization has awarded nearly $250,000 to 48 recipients from 36 tribes through this award.

For details about the nonprofit organization, go to www.firstpeoplesfund.org.